Apparatus for and method of manufacturing tie plates



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APFARATUS FOR AND METHOD .OF MANUFACTURING TI E PLATES Filed Oct. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l v A Je INVE TIE PLATES APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFAGTURTNG Filed Oct. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y m v, -r pm W @i @E f @M9/MMM w ATTORNEYS.

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD F MANU- FACTURING TIE PLATES John 1F. W. Kruse and Charles W. Dawson, @alkmont, and Andrew Richardson,

Application October 3,

7 Claims.

Our invention method of forming tie plates for rails and parforming the slots in the integral ribs constituting shoulders for the rail base. The number of operations; including the handling of the tie thereby reduce plates.

the oostl of manufacture of tie 1933, Serial No. 691,969 (UI. 164-15) for providing transverse slots in the longitudinal ribs. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a completed tie plate. Fig.

The press comprises a base 2 on which is mounted a framework 3 having at the top thereof a driving motor t. The motor t drives a pulley 5 that is connected, as by a belt 6, to a larger pulley l which is connected by a shaft 8 to a pinion 9,

The pinion 9 drives a gear l l rotatably mounted on a crank and the dot-and-dash lines of Fig. 9, illustrate the section of the bar.

The block 31 is provided at its central portion with guideways 40 within which are mounted for horizontal movement two punches 4| and 42 that are identical in shape but are mounted for movement in opposite directions from their initial or innermost positions.

Each of the punches 4| and 4?. as shown in Figs. 5, 8 and 9 has integral therewith outwardly extending bearing portions 44 for resting upon the guideways 40. At the rear of each of the movable punch members 4| and 42 they are recessed and provided with inclined surfaces 46 and 41 that are adapted to be engaged by the cam surfaces 30 and 3| respectively of the cam 28. Mounted on the block 31 and adjacent the outer sides of the ribs or flanges 38 of the tie plate are dies 5| and 52 that are in alignment with the punches 4| and 42. Each of the movable punches 4| and 42 is normally retained in its innermost position by means of a spring 53.

In the operation of the apparatus of our invention it may be assumed that a bar of steel having a cross-section approximately that shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 9, or corresponding to that of the tie plate 39 of Fig. 6 before holes for spikes and slots are provided therein, is inserted above the die shoe 33 in substantially the position indicated. The extent to which the bar is inserted in the press is fixed by a stop member such, for example, as the rod 54, Fig. 1, having a pivotal support at 55 and controlled by a link 56 secured to the foot pedal I4. This stop mechanism is shown by way of example only and any other suitable arrangement may be employed to insure that the tie plates are of desired length.

When the bar is in position the pedal |4 is depressed by the operator to cause the clutch I3 to connect the gear to the crank shaft |2 whereupon the press will operate through one revolution of the crank shaft l2 to cause the punch holder 20 to descend whereupon the punches 24 pass through the apertures 25 and punch holes 51 in the end of the bar constituting the blank for the tie plate. As the punch holder 20 descends further the vertical shear member 26 cuts a length from the bar suitable for a tie plate, the punches 24 remaining in the holes 51 during this operation.

Further downward movement of the punch holder 20 causes the cam 28 to engage the cam surfaces 46 and 41 to actuate the punches 4| and 42 outwardly in opposite directions against the forces of the springs 53 to punch transverse slots through a central intermediate portion of each of the ribs 38. These slots are shown at 59 in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the slot is relatively long and narrow. The punched-out portions are forced along tubular openings 66 in the dies 5| and 52.

When the punching operation last described has been completed, the punch holder 20 is returned upwardly by the crank shaft |2, to permit the punches 4| and 42 to be returned to their innermost positions by the respective springs 53, and the shear member 26 and the punches 24 are simultaneously withdrawn upwardly to their inoperative positions. The completed tie plate 33 which is now in substantially the form shown in Fig. 6 is removed and the bar is advanced. against the stop 54 for a succeeding operation that is substantially identical in all respects to that described above.

While the operation has been described in connection with a bar of steel of desired crosssection which may be sheared into suitable lengths for tie plates as a part of the forming operation, it will be appreciated that the previously rolled bar may be cut in to suitable lengths before the tie plates are formed in the manner described above in which case the shear members 26 and 21 may be omitted from the press It will also be appreciated that suitable blanks for forming the tie plates may be formed by drop forging, or by other suitable means, in which case the operations will be as described above except that it will be unnecessary to provide the press with a vertical length of the tie plate.

As illustrated in Fig. 7 a rail 62 may be seated on the tie plate 39 with the base between the shoulders or flanges 38 and may be secured in position thereon by means of angle form each having a vertical portion for engaging a shoulder 64, and a substantially horizontal portion for extending through the slot 58 above a flange of the rail base.

By means or" the and the method employed in forming the tie plates, a comparatively large number of operations that have hitherto required separate operations and repeated handling of the tie plates have been combined into a single continuous operation for forming finished tie plates from bars contituting suitable stock therefor.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for forming tie plates from blanks having two spaced ribs on one side thereof, comprising a die shoe for supporting a blank and having dies therein, a punch holder carrying punches for cooperating with said dies for making holes in said blanks, a block above said die shoe having recessed portions for receiving a blank therein and having apertures for permitting said punches to pass to said dies, two punches carried by said block between said ribs, dies on the outer sides of said ribs, cam surfaces movable with said punch holder for actuating said two punches simultaneously outwardly to provide slots in said ribs, and means for actuating said punch holder.

2. Apparatus for forming tie plates from blanks having two spaced ribs on one side thereof comprising a die shoe for supporting a blank and having dies therein, a punch holder adapted to be actuated by a press and carrying punches for cooperating with said dies for making holes in said blanks, a block above said die shoe having recessed portions for receiving a blank therein and having apertures for permitting said punches to pass to said dies, two punches carried by said block between said ribs, dies on the outer sides of said ribs, cam surfaces movable with said punch holder for actuating said two punches simultaneously outwardly to provide slots in said ribs, and springs for returning said two punches to their initial positions.

3. Apparatus for forming tie plates from a member having two spaced parallel flanges for constituting shoulders for a rail base, comprising punches for punching a slot outwardly in each of said iianges extending substantially parallel to the adjacent side of said member, a plurality of punches for punching holes through the base of said member, a holder for said base punches, means connected to said holder for actuating the iange punches outwardly, and means for actuating said holder.

4. Apparatus for forming tie plates from a shear for determining the of suitable springs 63 apparatus described above member having two spaced parallel anges for punching slots outwardly in said anges extendconstituting shoulders for a rail base, comprising ing substantially parallel to the adjacent side of wardly in opposite directions, and means for holder. 10 actuating said holder. 7. Apparatus for forming tie plates from an 5. Apparatus for forming tie plates from an elongate member having two spaced parallel elongate member having two spaced parallel anges for constituting shoulders for a rail base, flanges for constituting shoulders for a rail base, comprising two oppositely disposed punches for comprising two oppositely disposed punches for punching slots outwardly in said flanges extendl5 punching holes through the base of the member, cutting the elongate member into tie plate 2o and punch-moving means at the same time. and resilient means for moving said ange 6 Apparatus for formlng tie plates fiom an punches inwardly. 25 elongate member having two spaced parallel JOI-IN F. W. KRUSE. anges for constituting shoulders for a rail base, CHARLES W. DAWSON.

comprising two oppositely disposed punches for ANDREW T. RICHARDSON. 

